Eisenhorn: The Interogater Years
by B-House
Summary: I had always wondered what Eisenhorns life as an Interrogator had been like. . . So in this fan-fic we join him and friend Endor in there adventures under Inquisitor Hasaphant. Please Review :D
1. Training

'Titus! Move!!!' I bellowed at the top of my voice, charging down the dim corridor of the dominator class cruiser, _Gustav's Remorse._

The deadly spray of wild enemy las-fire ripped down the confined space and several shots narrowly missed my head, hissing past my ears.

I paused in my advance, stopping in the cover of a large service console as the unrelenting las rounds continued to pass over my head.

Instinctively, I checked my compact auto-pistols mag. Five rounds.

No where near enough.

Shots continued to ping off the console in front of me, which was mercifully shielding my body from there destructive power. I turned and looked over my shoulder. There was my close friend Titus Endor, leaping across the corridor and into the doorway of a nearby annex. He too had begun to take stock and prepare himself to assault the group of heretical scum that had taken defensive positions ahead. An intimidating grimace of determination was played across his face.

He was angry.

Emperor help anyone who got in the way of Titus Endor when he was angry.

'Titus!….Titus Emperor dam you!!!' I howled. The noise of the fire fight was deafening.

Endor turned and caught eyes with me.

'Magazine! Now!' I hollered at him, gesturing to my auto-pistol.

Still with shots echoing past us, Endor reached into his equipment pouch, searching for a spare mag. Finding one, he threw it across the width of the corridor and into my eager hand.

Catching it neatly, I emptied the rest of my clip down the length of the corridor. The dull thud of the weapon seemed insignificant compared to the loud hissing of the enemy's las-carbines. However the gun was reliable and did the job and as I fired the last round blindly over the console towards the heretics I heard the tell tale thud of a body hitting the deck. One down.

I reloaded my weapon and turned to Endor. He to was returning fire and I saw his chattering auto-gun drop yet another heretic scum.

Our attempts were fruitless though. I had counted at least eight men firing from the annex's and doorways along the corridor ahead. I had one, Endor had one.

That was still six; full auto las-carbines tearing destructive and deadly rounds towards our position. I didn't like the numbers.

Time to even things up.

I gestured to Endor to brace himself, and I felt his mind psychically tense next to me.

'_Cease!' _I commanded, using my will.

At once the deafening roar of las fire stopped.

It was replaced by the deafening roar of auto-gun fire.

Endor and I both charged down the corridor next to each other. My pistol roared in my hands as I unleashed round upon round at the stupefied opponents ahead.

I dropped one with a clean headshot as I began to sprint. His limp body fell to the ground lifelessly.

Another victim fell with three shots to the chest, his body buckling and spasming under the force.

Endor dropped yet another three with tight, controlled burst from his rifle. They were falling like dominoes.

The final gunman recovered from my mental command. Seeing his comrades struck down, he violently swung the door open of the room next to him and dived in, shouting and cursing obscenities at the top of his throat.

I gestured Endor to cover me and ran to the entrance of the room. The door was ajar and I kicked it in forcefully. Storming in with my pistol raised I hungrily sought out the final gunman. . .

And an immensely powerful las round hit me in my chest and threw me back out through the doorway I just used to enter.

My back thudded off the wall as I struck it, slumping to the ground.

A blurry Titus Endor ran towards me.

'Always to eager Gregor' he said smiling.

My vision blacked out. . .


	2. In the Company of Friends

When it returned my sight was filled with the glowering face of Inquisitor Hasphant. He was a wise old Inquisitor. The features of his face were prominent as he stared at my, his wrinkled brow furrowed. He had a large beaked nose and prominent facial features. His neck was also inlaid with several augamentics, due to injuries gained from a battle long passed.

'How many times have I told you Eisenhorn?!' He queried rhetorically.

'Stop being so emperor dam eager to blow peoples heads off!' He answered his own question with the wry smile of someone who is making a joke out of an all to serious matter.

'I'm sorry sir' I replied briefly.

Hasphant's lectures were legendary among his students, and my brief reply acknowledged the fact I knew I was about to be subject to one. Plus I was still groggy from waking up from the stun round.

'The subject of these simulations is to make you learn and apply my teachings Gregor.' He said more remorsefully, perhaps sensing my apparent humbled mood.

'The whole point of them is so you can reflect on everything I've taught you and use it in a real-life situation. You think the heretical minions of chaos are going to be firing stun rounds at you when you become a fully fledged member of our Ordo?'

I simply gazed at him. He knew I understood his point, and he also knew there was no need to make it. Hasphant was a wise and well experienced Inquisitor and he could see the skill and talent in both Titus and myself. We were his best students. He often told us.

The scalding was for show, and in a way a sort of joke between master and pupil, I understood that. After all a highly respected Inquisitor charged with the task of destroying and purging the enemy's of mankind cant have favourites now, can he?

'Pause, take stock and reflect on the situation, don't rush into things. A good Inquisitor knows when to keep his head.'

'I know I'm sorry sir. I thought it was the best course of action.'

'Well it wasn't Gregor. Just remember, think next time.' He stated with a serious look on his face.

It soon turned into a smile as he added: 'Good job Titus was there to clean up your mess.'

He turned and beamed at Endor, who was sat in the corner of the room grinning profoundly. It was always funny to see a fellow comrade take a hit in the training simulators, and the bragging rights I'd have to endure off him for the next few weeks would be relentless.

But what are friends for?

Hasphant soon left and as the door closed behind him Titus rose out of his seat, still with a sly smile on his face.

'You should of seen your face when that round hit you!!!' He laughed

'So much for covering me…'

'Hard to cover you when your running in rooms kicking doors down and trying to wave your pistol into holo-drones faces'

'Point taken' I replied, grinning slightly myself.

Ever since I started my Interrogator training and now Inquisitor training I had always been a little. . . 'Gung-ho'. Titus and to a more serious extent Hasphant regularly commented on it. But that was me and that was the purpose of training. To educate you in your mistakes.

I raised myself out of the bed I was laying on, my grogginess subsiding and senses becoming slightly more alert. We were in one of the dingy little medical rooms that was on the crew floor of _Gustav's remorse. _It was dank and cramped but conditions like that are the norm on any imperial military ship and to be honest I didn't really mind it.

The ship itself was on it's way to Thracian Primaris to re-supply and join the military defence force that regularly orbit the planet, providing security for the masses and also making Battlefleet Scarus look good.

Hasphant had acquired a place on the vessel for our own journey to the planet and the Inquisitorial headquarters situated there. The generous Captain of the ship, Admiral Kier Gustine, had provided Hasphant and his retinue (which consisted of me, Titus, a few other interrogators plus a variety of secretaries, aides, muscle and other useful, talented people) with the entire rear central deck of the craft.

Such generosity towards Inquisitors is common. An organisation that is above and beyond the law and can capture, arrest or even erase any Imperial citizen tends to generate quite a lot of fear and in turn, healthy respect in people. Even powerful Battlefleet Scarus admirals like Gustine. Hasphant regularly educated me into utilising that respect.

I stood and turned to Endor. 'I expected the Phant to give me more of a lecture than that.'

'The Phant' was the nickname Endor and I regularly called our illustrious mentor. Although, never to his face.

'For a man who's made a career in killing Emperor dammed warp-filth, he's awfully friendly with you Gregor.'

'Me and you.'

'Because he knows were the best damn interrogators to step into his god emperors holy Inquisitorial palace since the Imperium was founded.' He said with a cocksure grin.

'Ha-ha! Damn right Titus!' I laughed, hitting his back in a friendly gesture.

Both me and my close friend strode out of the room and began to make our way down the ships various hallways towards our quarters. The air had the smell of o-zone in it, the result of the artificially generated and re-circulated atmosphere. The corridors were equally as dark and gloomy as the medical facility and pretty much any other place on the ship. Dim interior lamps hung off the walls at regular intervals and provided adequate illumination, playing curious shadows on the floors and walls. The walls themselves were thick and heavily armoured with steel, rusted bolts drilled into them holding it together. It was all very bleak but. . . Precise, efficient even. This was after all a war ship, it wasn't designed to make its inhabitants feel cheery and comfortable.

I heard a dull echo through the deck and felt the ship lurch slowly.

++All hands, docking stations++

++Repeat all hands to docking stations++

A Ship wide vox speaker sounded in an automated voice.

We had exited the Immaterium. At last we had arrived at Thracian.


	3. Desent

Our shuttle descended through the smoggy, pollution choked atmosphere of Thracian at great speed. The dark, menacing clouds flew past the cockpits view ports as I gazed out of them. I gripped the arms of my seat nervously. Atmospheric travel had never been something I enjoyed, especially when the ship I was travelling in was being flown by Hasaphants reckless, almost suicidal pilot Hal Edymann.

'There's a bit of traffic in the main shipping lanes sir.' Hal reported to Hasaphant, who was sitting in the assistant pilot's seat of the cockpit next to him. 'I'll try to avoid it.'

Hal was a stocky man. He had a large build and broad, lean shoulders. His cropped hair was jet black and he had a trimmed goatee. To me he had always had the look of hired muscle about him however a pilot he was and despite my remarks of him being reckless and suicidal he was indeed skilled at his craft. Since I had known Hasaphant he had served with him and the two of them had a great professional respect for each other.

'Please do Edymann. I must be at the Inquisitorial Palace as soon as possible. The Lord Inquisitor Rorken is not the type of person who takes kindly to lateness.' He stated in an authorative tone.

As we continued to descend towards Thracians surface the gloomy cloud line disappeared and gave way to an even bleaker site. Thracian was a bloated hive city riddled with all the problems you'd expect of any Imperial hive world. Its entire surface was covered with steel and rockcrete and enormous hives which housed billions of people. Even now I could see the menacing shapes of neo-gothic hives jutting into the skyline, almost stabbing the air with their crude spikes and towers. The pollutants churned out by these continent sized cities and the world's frequent visitors had long ago destroyed the planets environment. It was a terrible place that I had little love for, however it was the home of the Inquisitorial headquarters for the entire sector so often I had to return, much to my dismay.

I turned my attention away from the depressing sites out of the viewports. Hal's aggressive piloting was churning my stomach and I needed something to distract me. I looked around, my gaze falling on Endor who was asleep in the seat next to me, his body slumping as the chairs harness held him up. How he could sleep through this was beyond me. Titus had always been nonchalant when it came to flying. It's alright for some as they say.

Ignoring Endor, I faced our other companion in the shuttles cockpit; a young lady named Miranda Orta. She was Hasaphants most junior pupil and had only just graduated to the rank of Interrogator, a rank that myself and Endor would soon be ready to rise from. She was a tremendously potent psyker (A trait I was very appreciative of, having being blessed by the god-emperor with such skills myself) and stunningly beautiful. She had long blonde hair that was tied back in a neat ponytail, and wore a tight black full leather bodyglove which further showed off her figure. Even strapped into the safety harness of an old and haggard Imperial shuttle hurtling through the skies of one of the Imperiums most bleak worlds her gorgeous looks were still profound. I admit, I found my eyes wandering.

She turned to me, perhaps sensing I was looking at her.

"Now now, it's rude to stare Gregor." She remarked with a smirk

"My apologies Miranda. I was just. . . Distracted. You know much I hate flying"

"Glad to know I distract you." She replied winking. She often teased me about such things, I don't know whether she read my thoughts or I made it all too obvious but she clearly knew I admired her. And not just for her talent.

"I'll touch us down in the usual landing pad sir. We should be on the ground in 5 minutes." Hal stated

Five minutes too long I thought.

"Excellent." Hasaphant turned to face me and my colleagues. "Gregor, you and Titus will be accompanying me to the pala. . ."

He looked at Titus, noticing he was asleep.

"Emperor dam it Endor wake up!" He bellowed at him.

I've never seen him jump so much in my life.

"Err. . . my . . . my apologies sir." He said rather groggily

"Ahhhh the interrogators of today. I dearly hope you don't start taking naps when you're hunting down the ruthless heretics of mankind!"

"The journey has been tiresome sir."

"Well we'll see how tired you are when I shove my boot up your arse!" He said with a laugh. Miranda and Hal chuckled to. Endor simply smirked at our master's joke, a little belittled by it.

"As I was saying. . . Gregor, you and sleeping beauty here will accompany me to the Inquisitorial palace immediately. I understand I have not kept you informed of why we are visiting there however know that Lord Rorken requires an audience with all three of us immediately."

"But why sir? It seems highly irregular." I replied.

"I cannot tell you now Gregor but all will be explained when we arrive."

I looked at him curiously. It was most irregular for two junior inquisitors to be summoned to an audience with the Lord of the Ordo Xenos itself, and since we had begun our journey to Thracian Hasaphant had been very tight lipped about our purpose there.

"Patience my dear pupil! Patience. All will be revealed." He said with a reassuring grin.

I wasn't very reassured.


	4. Rorkens Request

The holy Inquisitorial palace of Thracian Primaris was about as bleak as the planet it rested on. Its vast towers and spikes that protruded from its walls had a very intimidating aire about them and made the structure seem ancient and looming. Its black walls and the many holy markings and rosettes that lined them further gave the place a dark feel.

The interior was no much better. Even now as I stood in the office of one of the Inquisitions highest officials the large, dark walls and overhanging roof with its moody mural invoked a sense of claustrophobia in me and with it, a feeling of fear. It was the first time I had met the High lord of the Ordo Xenos and the environment of the palace was doing nothing to help my nerves.

I stood there, with Endor at my side and Hasaphant proudly standing in front of us watching Lord Rorken as he descended from his rather eccentric looking throne centred in the middle of his office.

"Ahh Hasaphant my old friend!" He exclaimed, raising his hands high in the air in some gesture of praise.

"It is good to see you my lord." He replied courteously, taking a bow.

"Please, please. There is no need for such formalities here." Rorken dismissed the gesture with a wave of his hand.

"I see you have brought your two pupils along with you, as requested."

"Of course Lord Rorken. These are Junior Interrogators Endor and Eisenhorn. I must say they have been quite apprehensive of this meeting."

"Really?" Rorken queried rhetorically.

"Tell me interrogators, has your master revealed to you the purpose of this audience?"

"No sir." I and Endor replied, in unison.

"Well, I suppose it is down to me then? You have been summoned before me today at your master's request. It's his personal opinion that you both are ready to attain the titles, rank and responsibilities of fully fledged Inquisitors."

I was dumbfounded. I had known that my promotion to Inquisitor status was not long in coming for a while, however the suddenness of this news robbed me of speech.

Noticing our shock, Rorken continued.

"However as you know this promotion is ultimately down to myself. As head of the Ordo the final decision is down to me."

Hasaphant looked on at us smiling. This explained the secrecy then. He'd always been a sly old dog.

"And after relaying and cross-checking all your files and mission reports under Hasaphant, and considering the many long years of training he has given you, it would be my honour to except you into this Ordo."

My heart skipped a beat.

"But. . ."

It sank again.

". . . Under the advisement of my fellow colleagues and peers, I have been told to grant you this honour only after one final test and achievement has been accomplished by both of you."

He proceeded to dig around in his robe pocket. His hand pulled out two dataslates and handed them to us.

"I believe you both have a lack of field experience still. This is why I have delegated you this small matter that has come to the Ordos attention."

I pressed the scrolling rune on the dataslate, speed reading its contents.

"We are to be travelling to Gossamire?" Endor enquired.

"Yes. We sent Inquisitor Stavley there several months ago. A simple matter that required the Inquisitions attention. Several strange energy read outs and signals had been detected by the Small Imperial outpost there. He was to investigate." Rorken revealed.

"So why are we to go there?" I asked. This was all very strange and unorthodox. Why send two junior Interrogators to some rimward system like Gossamire? It was remote, out of the way, I couldn't imagine anything even remotely worthy of the attention of the Inquisition there, and Lord Rorkens synopsis of the situation was a little vague.

I tried to read Hasaphants reaction, but he simply looked on at the exchange, unphased.

Rorken turned to me. "We haven't had a report off him since he left. You both are to investigate."

"That seems like nothing unusual sir. Quite often Inquisitors operate solo for many months without informing the main body of the Inquisition." I continued to probe.

Rorken seemed to ponder this for quite some time. He then simply replied.

"There are some things that cannot be taught Eisenhorn. Go to Hubris, Investigate these events and. . ." He paused. "Expect the un-expected."

It seemed a rather mysterious reply. Things didn't add up, but I was in no position to further probe and question a Lord Inquisitors orders. I hoped Hasaphant would make things more clear.

"We will undertake this task with the utmost speed and dedication my lord." Endor stated.

"Excellent!" Rorken proclaimed, clapping his hands together enthusiastically.

"I'm sure you will not fail." He smiled the smile of a man who knows more than he's telling.

"Now if you would excuse me and your master. There are things that need to be discussed."

"Of course sir." I said as I turned and exited the room, Endor close behind me. I turned to face him outside, he gave me a quizzical look that told me he to felt that information was being kept from us.

"Is it just me or do things not add up?" I asked him.

"Of course they don't Gregor. From what I've heard Inquisitor Stavely's a staunchly Radical bastard at the best of times. It's not unlike their type to not be heard by the Ordo for many a month."

" True. . ." I agreed half-heartedly. "But something's not right with it, and Rorken knows it."

"He just won't tell us what." Endor deduced.

"There's only one way to find out."

"Off to Gossamire it is then." He said in the sort of tone that betrayed his obvious loathsomeness for the place.


	5. A 'Warm' Welcome

The Gossamire system was on the very edge of Imperial space. A rimward system, it was simply just a ramshackle collection of asteroids and planetoids orbiting a dying white dwarf. The only real substantial planet there was the world of Plearos. As the innermost planet it was constantly plagued by radiation from its nearby star and its surface came under constant asteroid bombardment. The only reason an Imperial colony was founded there was to mine and extract the rare minerals deep in the planets crust, formed by millennia of exposure to powerful gravity and radiation.

The mining colony went by the imperial designation KV-158. Buried deep under the planets crust to escape the harsh conditions of the surface, it was said to be a secure and security conscience facility, due to the obvious dangers of exposure to the surface.

That's why when several emergency hails were detected by our shuttles sensors upon decent to the planet, my suspicions were aroused.

"It's an automated message" Hal informed us all. Myself, Endor, Miranda and of course Hal were all sat in the shuttles cockpit. Hasaphant had to remain on Thracian due to several meetings and summons he had to attend, leaving us conveniently on our own to complete his 'task'. It was seeming more of a test to me.

"The colonies systems automatically broadcast it on all wavelengths as soon as any ship has been sensed entering the system."

"An automatic distress beacon suggests there's no-one in the colony." I wondered aloud to myself.

"Either that or everyone's been incapacitated. . ." Endor stated the other chilling possibility that had been playing through my mind. A sense of forbidding had clouded my thoughts ever since we began our journey to Gossamire. And it was growing by the minute.

I turned to Miranda. She was stood with her eyes closed, focusing her powerful mind. I could feel it psychically tensing next to me, and I was reminded of her tremendous psychic capacity.

"Stavley is inside the facility. I can feel his mind." She said as she opened her eyes.

"Take us in to dock. It's time for some answers."

*

The corridors of KV-158 were bathed in an eerie red glow that did nothing to help ease the tension felt by all of us. The colonies emergency lighting had activated . . . another ominous sign. The entire place was empty and the only sound that could be heard was of distant collisions of asteroids on the surface. I had told Hal to stay at the ship as I felt a quick getaway might be needed. We all had our weapons drawn, something was wrong.

We stalked through the sinister corridors in a two by one formation. Myself and Endor taking point at the front and Miranda bringing up the rear. I was armed with a bulky modified auto-pistol, it had a plasteel handgrip inlaid with the sign of our Ordo and the weapons rounds were brutal, flat-headed slugs. I also had a short power-blade in a sheath at my hip. The weapon was simple but effective, and I had trained extensively in sword craft for many years.

Endor was skulking next to me, his modified las carbine slung ready in front of him. Behind us I could feel Miranda reaching out with her mind, we were relying on her to track down Inquisitor Stavley and hopefully find some answers here. She was armed with a gold inlaid bolt pistol that she told us had been treasured in her family for years. It was a terrifyingly powerful weapon.

The facility itself was empty, but as we travelled deeper I could begin to feel the familiar smell of death tickling at my nostrils.

"Eisenhorn, in here." Endor called me from a near-by room.

I walked in, and what I saw took my breath away.

Three skinned bodies, dangling limply from barbed hooks in the roof. A pool of oxidised blood was below them, and they swung loosely from side to side. The stench of decay was unbearable and I almost gagged on it. Miranda came in behind me and I heard her gasp in horror. It was a sickening site.

"I think that confirms what's happened here." I said as I turned my guns safety rune off.

"The taint of chaos is unmistakable." Endor stated grimly. "If Stavley is here he's got a lot to answer for."

"_shhh" _Miranda ordered us both with her mind. _"Someone is coming."_

I heard steps echoing in the corridor and pressed my back against the room's doorway, poking my head around I saw three armed men running up the corridor. They were wearing dark black body armour and were armed with standard military issue Las-guns.

"The ship docked in bay two." Man number one said, he was taking point and exuded the confidence of a leader.

"You heard Stavley's orders, eliminate anyone on board. He cannot have any interruptions to his plans."

So, Stavley had come here with an armed force and saw fit to start killing anyone who ventured into the colony. Rather incriminating actions in the current circumstance.

"_We can't let them get to the ship. Hal will be out-gunned." _Miranda informed us. She was right dam it. We had to dispose of them, but I didn't want to open fire until I was certain they were hostile.

I stepped out of cover.

"Halt. I am interrogator Eisenhorn and I am here on behalf of the Imperial Inquisit. . ."

I barely finished my sentence before a salvo of las rounds tore towards me. I dived back into the cover of the room.

That was the formalities done with.

Getting into a firing position I twisted round the corner and opened fire. The men were retreating back down the corridor and I dropped two with some well placed shots to the chest. The other two tightened their aim as they found cover behind some maintenance pipes. They unleashed a barrage of las-rounds that burnt the wall in front of me.

I shrunk back into the doorway. Endor sprinted out past me and into the room opposite firing as he went.

There fire ceased as they began to reload and I turned back out and emptied a full clip at their positions. They were keeping their heads down from the onslaught of rounds, unable to safely return fire.

A perfect opportunity.

I advanced up the corridor and got into a crouching position behind a turn-off further ahead.

Endor was still in his position further behind me unleashing short, controlled burst of rounds. They dug deep gouges into the enemy's cover and several blew holes into the pipes they were hiding behind.

All of a sudden I heard the deafening roar of Miranda's bolt pistol as she charged towards their position.

She was screaming an intimidating battle-cry at the top of her throat and I looked on in sheer amazement as the pistols rounds simply shredded the gunmen's cover to pieces.

They were screwed.

I twisted out of cover and blasted a round straight into one of their heads. He spun around as the shot blew his bottom jaw to pieces.

Miranda's salvo further echoed towards them and a bolter round quite simply decapitated the other gunman, his body rising off the floor and thudding limp to the ground.

I turned to Miranda. "Nice shot."

She simply grinned back. Her body still racing with adrenaline.

"Hired muscle. There wearing quite advanced body armour. No markings though." Endor said as he walked towards one of their bodies.

I joined him and crouched down examining it. It was indeed advanced, however I noticed it had a number of modifications on it. The sorts of modifications usually used by Imperial Inquisitors.

"See the seam joinery here? It's been upgraded. Flexisteel, the mark IV types you get from the Inquisitorial armoury." I pointed it out to them both

"That seals it then." Miranda joined us. "These mercenary's were hunting us out, and there quite clearly working for Stavley."

"We need to find him immediately." I informed them as I stood up. "They'll start to wonder where these lot are, they'll be alerted soon enough."

Miranda closed her eyes again searching for him. She opened them with a look of dismay on her face.

"His trace has disappeared. He knows were here and he's blocking me out."

I thought for a moment. We had been relaying on Miranda to lead us to him. Now our metaphorical bloodhound had lost the scent, we needed another tactic.

"We'll have to just scour through the whole facility." I said finally. It was the only option.

"We'll cover more ground if we split up." Endor suggested to us as he walked over to a nearby visitors map on the wall. "Were currently on B1, the docking and administration level. B2 is the Accommodation and workers quarters, and B3's the storage and equipment holds."

"I'll take B2. Endor, you remain on this level, see if you can find any clues as to what exactly happened to the colony and on Stavleys location."

He nodded in agreement, racking his las-carbine hungrily.

"Miranda, head down to B3 and see what you can find. If any of us find him, we inform each other and await everyone to converse on him. Agreed?"

They both murmured ascent. I looked at each of them.

"Let's head out then."


	6. Captured

I jumped out of the lift to the B2 level hungrily, my auto-pistol scouring the shadows. The smell of death and decay was stronger on this floor, and I was dreading having to find any more sights like the one before.

The emergency lighting was on in here to, and I emerged into a red lit reception area. There was a desk directly ahead of me with a row of waiting chairs next to it. A sign on a large door on the wall to my right read 'East Wing: Administration staff quarters'. I opened it slowly, in case there was a gun-toting mercenary awaiting me on the other side.

The corridor was empty and was again bathed in the moody red light. It cast shadows and shapes all up the passageway, and made me very uneasy.

Suddenly the eerie red scene was broken by the bright white beam of a probing flashlight. I dived back through the door I'd come through and into the reception area.

The sound of footsteps was getting closer.

I holstered my pistol and withdrew my powerblade. It made a soft hiss as it ignited, casting a dark blue light that contrasted sharply with the red glow of the room.

My back against the wall; standing next to the doorway, I held the blade poised in my right hand ready to strike the mysterious assailant as he walked through the door.

The echo of his steps reached the door.

I braced myself as the handle moved down. . .

. . . The door swung open.

I brought my humming blade down through the air with all the force I could muster. It hissed violently as the blade descended through the air and struck the mercenaries arm as it was still holding the door, amputating it from the elbow down.

He shrieked a cry of pain and range and I swung round and charged his flailing body, swinging my weapon in a perfect figure of eight.

It was time to finish him.

As he tried to back off, still clutching his stump, I brought my blade up above my head and sliced down in a perfect death-stroke.

He jumped backwards, the tip of the blade missing him by centimetres. As he landed on his back he used his one remaining hand to pull out a compact Auto-pistol from its thigh holster.

Seeing his last ditch effort, I sidestepped as he fired and parried the round with a clumsy swing of my sword. Sparks flew from the weapon as the round hit it, briefly and intensely lighting the scene.

The pistol was a one shot weapon, to be used when all else failed. Realising he was beat, the death defying mercenary viscously kicked out as I lunged at him with the deadly tip of my blade.

The end of his foot connected with a. . . very painful part of my body.

Dropping to the deck I shouted in anger as my weapon slipped from my hands. How in the name of terra was I being bested by a one armed mercenary?

Sensing he had the upper hand he dived on me as I hit the floor, punching me with his one remaining hand and even whacking his cauterised stump over my head. I attempted to throw a shot back but the sheer weight of him had trapped my hands.

I attempted to focus my mind as his fist beat down on my head.

"_Cease!" _I commanded, using my will.

He stopped immediately.

Taking my chance I threw him off me. As I rose to my feet I grabbed my power blade and hit as hard as I could round the head with its hilt. He dropped to the floor limp and unconscious. Exactly what I wanted.

*

"What is your name?" I asked my prisoner gently.

I had dragged the mercenary's unconscious body to a nearby room. It was tiny and had two bunk beds crammed onto each wall. I had tied him to one of the posts and then roused him conscious again.

"Like I'd tell you." He said, spitting at my leg. I bent down to face him.

"I'll ask you again, what is your name?"

"Go to hell!"

I stood up and took a step back. "If that's the way it has to be."

Concentrating my mind, I bluntly gave him a controlled, weak psychic blow in his brain. His head rocked back and he winced with pain.

"_What is your name?"_ I demanded, using my will to draw it out of him. As I expected the simple psychic trick was too much for him.

"Dorian! Wendell Dorian!"He bellowed involuntarily.

"What are you doing here Dorian?" His mind was loosened, I had no need for psychic tricks anymore.

"Protecting some Inquisitor. He needed a bodyguard detail."

"How many 'bodyguards'?"

"There are twenty of us. Including the sergeant."

"I see." Twenty was a considerable number for a simple bodyguard entourage. The mercenaries had some other purpose here, and I suspected it was to eliminate the occupants of the colony.

"What happened to everyone here? The people who worked in the colony?"

"I don't know." He lied.

I gave him a fierce psychic blow to the head again. He cried out in pain.

"Tell me the truth Dorian. I am a trained interrogator, you cannot lie to me." I told him, as I continued to probe and stab his mind with a psychic onslaught. He writhed on the floor, screaming with agony.

"Okay okay!" He wept. "Just stop. . ."

"They. . . They were killed. We assaulted the whole complex and shot them all. It was the Inquisitors orders, he said they were heretics hiding here."

I suspected as much. Stavley had used an armoured detail of men to secure this place for his own, and then carry out what ever nefarious work he was planning to do here.

"What about the mutilation of the body's? Did you and your men do that?"

". . .What? What mutilation? What are you talking about?" He looked at me quizzically, his face a picture of confusion. I could tell he genuinely didn't know.

"Never mind. Where is Stavley now? Where is the Inquisitor that hired you?"

"I. . . I don't know."

"I'm getting quite sick of this Dorian." I told him menacingly as began to probe his mind again.

He screamed and contorted in pain again. Shouting and weeping as he tried to resist my mind digging into his. . . rooting out his thought, memories, the answer to my question was there. I could feel it. It rose towards my outstretched mind, the force of my will begging it to come to me. It was there in my grasp. . .

A dull pain stretched across the back of my skull. I fell limply as my vision began to fade.

"Wendell! You alright?. . ." I heard a mysterious voice faintly.

"Tie him up. Kersh will. . . want to see him." A deeper gruffer voice ordered.

Yet again, the darkness rolled in.


	7. The Beast of Bael

I awoke to the leering, scarred face of Inquisitor Kersh Alexander Stavley.

"Ahhh, you are awake at last." He observed as he continued to stare at me.

"I do hope you'll enjoy the show we've prepared." He said with a chuckle.

I looked around, trying to take stock of my surroundings. I was tied up in some sort of hall, with two guards stood vigilantly beside me and several more stood at regular intervals around the halls perimeter. I noticed there were large Sigils and symbols along its walls and to my left was a large alter. To my right I saw the large, boarded up doors of the church. It seemed to be the only entrance in, And three more mercenaries guarded it, there auto-guns poised. Pews also lined the ground in front of me in neat rows, stretching out to the opposite wall which was also decorated in other holy pictures.

I was located in an Eccelsarchy chapel, it seemed.

"A rather fitting place for the task that is about to be undertaken don't you think?" Stavley asked me, noticing my curiosity at the place.

He was a middle-aged man, by Imperial standards. From what I had read about him or heard of his work he was around one-hundred and fifty years of age now, and a huge right-wing radical. His shaven skull bore the evidence of augamentic work as cables looped out of the back of his head, making him look like some sort of metal headed tortoise. He was wearing a bright yellow leather bodyglove with a long, black cape billowing behind him and he had a large, intricate chest-plate of black armour slung on his chest, decorated in the many seals and decorations he had earned over the years.

"That depends what is taking place heretic." I said scornfully.

He looked at me and smiled. "Tell me, what is your name interrogator?" He asked as he threw my rosette at my feet.

"I am Junior Interrogator Gregor Eisenhorn of the late Inquisitor Hasaphant. And I shall be the one who kills you heretic."

"Ha-ha!" He threw his head back in a howl, his head cables scrunching up on his shoulders.

"I should have known Hasaphant would send one of his lap dogs to deal with me."

"What are you talking about scum?"

He looked at me for a moment and arched his eyebrow. "Don't tell me your not here to kill me Interrogator."

"I was here to investigate strange signals that had been found here. And your disappearance. It would appear the two are linked." I informed him. It was a calculated gamble telling him my purpose, I prayed that in his arrogance he would expand on what I said and reveal more.

"Ahhh the signals! The colony was very worried about them. They were practically delightful when I arrived to investigate." He said cheerfully.

"Until I killed them all." He added with a grin.

"You will pay for your crimes heretic."

"You're hardly in a position to make threats." He said as he scowled at me.

"As I was saying Interrogator. The signals they detected emanated from this very chapel. Do you know what they were?"

"Enlighten me." I cooed in a patronising tone.

"They were coming from the very warp itself. This entire chapel, hell the entire colony around it, was built on a rift in the warp."

"A rift?"

"Kind of like. . . The eye of terror, only much smaller."

I didn't like where this was going.

"And any minute now my dear Interrogator friend, the focal point of the rift - This chapel - will burst open, with my help of course." He grinned perversely.

Inquisitor Stavely used to be hailed as a commendable yet ruthless Inquisitor in his youth. I was sorrowful to see one such as him reverting down the path of the radical and now, the path of Chaos.

Still, he would burn for his crimes.

He turned and made his way to the top of the altar. As he stood there he raised his hands to the sky in some strange gesture. I could feel his own mind tensing and preparing himself for the task that was to come, what he was about to undertake would be immense.

Now was my chance to escape. I focused my own mind and branched out all across the colony with it, sending out a message to any one that could hear it, however only a few would understand it.

"_Thorn wishes eagle, in the pit of the snake. By the hand of God."_

I used Glossia, a secret code that Hasaphant and his pupils had only recently developed. It was known to a select few.

Much to my surprise I got an immediate reply

"_The eagle shall soar, by the light of God. Pattern Ivory."_

Endor and Miranda had found me. They were coming.

Stavely continued his unholy work unabated. He was now speak some strange incantation aloud, his hands still raised to the sky as warp energies began to crackle and fizz around them. I could feel the tremendous psychic power he was exuding as his mind attempted to tear the rift open. The entire chapel was shaking and warp fire began to cascade down its walls. The guards stood back, slightly aghast at what was going on. These hired goons weren't prepared for what was about to happen here and they clearly were uncomfortable with the situation.

Perfect.

I slowly tried to raise myself to my feet, my hands and feet still bound. I was knocked back by the butt of one of guards guns.

"You're going no-where" He scowled at me.

I laughed in his face. "That's what you think."

At that precise moment the boarded up doors of this holy, Emperor blessed place exploded open in a rain of fire. The Chapel shook with the tremendous force of it and the three guards in front of the entrance were thrown forward violently, crashing into splintering pews.

Through the smoke and the haze sheer chaos erupted. Small-arms fire was chattering throughout the church as the mercenaries struggled to repel my would-be saviours. Endor and Miranda had arrived.

One of my guards rushed to engage this new threat and as my other escort grabbed my arm I felled him with a swift but powerful psychic blow. I awkwardly rose to my feet and looked up. Through the black smoke and fire Stavley was continuing his work un-abated, as if nothing was even happening.

I frantically scrambled around me to try to find something to untie my bonds. Suddenly a hand seized my wrists and released me. I turned to see the familiar and reassuring face of Endor.

"Couldn't let you kill this Emperor cursed heretic on your own." He said with a smile as he began to untie my feet.

Freed, I seized the auto-gun of the fallen guard next to me and turned to him. "Deal with the mercenaries. Stavely is mine."

He simply nodded and ran off into the smoke, his las-carbine carving out a destructive pattern light around him. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Miranda charging down the central aisle of the pews, her boltgun bucking ferociously in her hands.

I turned and began to sprint towards Stavelys altar, already the shaking of the chapel had become more violent and I could feel the warp portal welling up inside. Emperor dam him he had to be stopped.

A hail of auto-gun rounds stopped me in my tracks as they cascaded around me, blowing craters in the floor at my feet. I dived into the cover of the nearest pew and saw three mercenaries charging towards me, their guns still echoing a menacing symphony of death.

I rose and dropped one with a long burst of shots to his stomach and chest. His bullet ridden corpse flew clean off its feet and smashed into the pew behind him, destroying it and cascading splinters of wood into the air.

The other two had more sense and took their own covered positions in the pews ahead of me. They were all that stoop between me and Stavley.

I vaulted over my cover with one hand and with my other unleashed the rest of my clip at one of them. The shots were wild but some hit home and tore through the unfortunate soldier's feeble cover, shredding him apart.

My gun now empty I sprinted towards the other mercenary. He unleashed a barrage of shots at me and one struck my shoulder. I faltered, the pain was searingly intense.

Seeing his chance he raised his weapon and took aim.

All I could do was watch as a bolter round blew out the entire side of his skull. Gore and blood spraying all around him, he fell to the floor quite dead.

I turned and saw Miranda at the other side of the chapel, her bolter smoking in her hands. She nodded at me and then turned her attention to a gaggle of mercenaries Endor was engaging.

My shoulder still bleeding I picked up the auto-gun of the headless guard. Bits of his head were still affectionately stuck to it.

With all the strength I could muster I ran at Stavely. By now he was floating in the air and surrounded by warp energies. I could see the portal beginning to open behind him, untold horrors trying to crawl their way out of it. I cried out in fury as I peppered his entire, emperor cursed body with Auto-gun slugs.

"In the name of Inquisition you shall burn heretic!!!"

His body flew back with such force he glided into the half open warp portal behind him. I thought I heard his bloody corpse cry out as strange Daemon things clawed at him and dragged him into the terrifying abyss.

The rest of the fire-fights in the church had ceased and Miranda and Endor stood at my side as we watched the accursed portal buckle and begin to close.

His un-holy work foiled, the traitorous actions of Inquisitor Kersh Alexander Stavely had been stopped, emperor curse his soul.

We turned to leave, the chapel still smoking and burning around us. As we walked through the blasted out crevice that once was the doorway I heard a horrific and head-splitting scream behind me. I turned to see the most horrible and shocking creature crawl out of the closing portal. It had the figure of a human, a lean and muscular shape, and its head had tiny nub-horns sprouting from it. As the rift slammed shut behind it the thing rose into the air and glared balefully down at us.

It had a blank eyed stare.

I stood in horror as Miranda howled and charged at it, assaulting it with all the psychic power her mind could muster.

It didn't even blink.

Casually flicking its wrist at her she flew through the chapel and over the Daemons head, landing behind it with a spine tingling crunch. I knew that Miranda Orta, Orphan of Sameter, student of Hasaphant and possibly one of the most talented interrogators to the Ordo Xenos has ever seen was dead before she hit the ground.

The thing smiled at us. "Do you know what I am?" It asked in a thousand voices.

Both Endor and I looked on, paralysed with terror.

"I am the beast of Bael." It proclaimed in its horrific voice.

It turned to look at me.

"And we shall meet again. . . Gregor."

The thing threw us back against the wall and then flew over our heads, disappearing in a blinding light.

I slumped to the ground and felt that god dam darkness begin to enclose me again.

I closed my eyes.

And the blank eyed man stared back.


End file.
